Recently, the FCC has allowed the use of unused spectrum, e.g., unused TV spectrum, in accordance with rules for accessing the spectrum. One application for the potential use of such newly available spectrum, e.g., available white space, is for peer to peer communications. To support peer to peer communications it is desirable that peers be able to discover the presence of one another. At a particular location, there may be a relatively large amount of white space available for potential peer to peer communications, e.g. many channels may be available with each channel corresponding to particular frequency band.
For efficient wireless terminal operation, it is desirable that peer devices operate in relatively few channels, e.g., so as to limit the amount of search time required and/or power consumption used for searching purposes. However, if too many wireless terminals try to use a single channel, the channel may become overloaded limiting peer to peer communications. In addition, as conditions may change over time, at a particular location different numbers of peer devices may wish to be supported at different times and/or devices using a channel may leave the area.
In some peer to peer wireless communications systems, there is no central device which controls and directs peer to peer operations, and which could manage and regulate the use of available spectrum. In some such networks, decisions are made in a decentralized fashion.
Based on the above discussion, it should be appreciated that there is a need for methods and apparatus which support decentralized decision making regarding the use of available white space for peer to peer communications.